Tagged With catfish

If you have engaged with internet culture at all in recent years, you have probably come across the term “catfish”, first coined in the 2010 documentary of the same name. A catfish is someone who uses false information to cultivate a persona online that does not represent their true identity. This commonly involves using stolen or edited photos, usually taken from an unwitting third party.

Catfish will use this information to create a more appealing version of themselves, then engage in continued one-on-one interactions with another person (or people) who are unaware of the deception.

Dear Lovehacker, my wife of 17 years has been Snapchatting a singer from a well-known Texan A Cappella group. He has said he will fly her to LA to marry him and take our four kids in. This guy is 25 and my wife is 42 -- it's not about the age, it's just hard to believe this from a guy who will not video chat or send live videos. And he can't call because he's afraid to talk. This guy is in a band that travels the world, and I can't convince her it might be false. She is wanting to divorce me. I just don't know what to do. Should I let it play out or what?

A 'catfish' is someone who uses the anonymity of the internet to create a fake online identity. Usually, the aim is to lure somebody into a romantic relationship; either to fleece them out of money, for personal gratification or simply to mess with their heads. It's a terrible practice that can lead to heartache and financial ruin. In related news, welcome to Evil Week!